NEW DELHI: A significant breakthrough in the investigation of last year’s violent attack on the Indian high commission in London has been made as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested a key suspect upon his arrival in Delhi. The suspect, identified as Inderpal Singh Gaba, a resident of Hounslow in the United Kingdom, was apprehended based on a look-out circular issued against him earlier.
This marks a noteworthy development as it signifies the first time the agency has arrested a British resident for a crime that occurred under the UK’s jurisdiction. The arrest highlights the growing coordination between law enforcement agencies of both countries and serves as a major deterrent to prevent similar breaches of security, disrespect to the Indian flag, or threats to Indian interests abroad, according to a senior officer.
NIA’s investigation has uncovered that the attacks in London on March 19 and 22, 2023, were part of a broader conspiracy to carry out vicious assaults on Indian missions and officials. These attacks were believed to be in retaliation to the actions taken by Punjab Police against pro-Khalistan separatist Amritpal Singh, who was arrested in March of the previous year.
Following the incidents, the government expressed strong condemnation and summoned the senior-most diplomat from the UK high commission in London to demand an explanation for the security lapses that allowed the attack to occur. The assault on the high commission involved a group of 50 individuals who trespassed, disrespected the Indian flag, damaged public property, and caused injuries to officials.
An NIA team conducted a thorough investigation in the UK, gathering information through crowdsourcing to identify the entities and individuals involved in the attack. This effort led to the issuance of lookout circulars and the initiation of a manhunt to locate the perpetrators. Additionally, raids were carried out in Punjab and Haryana to uncover the full extent of the conspiracy behind the attack.
The agency remains committed to bringing those responsible for the London attack to justice, whether they are based in India or abroad. Through meticulous investigative work and the seizure of digital data containing critical information, NIA aims to hold all involved parties accountable for their actions in the assault on the Indian high commission in London.